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HOW TO CLEAN SATIN FABRIC

Satin is still considered a luxury fiber even though much of today's satin is not made from silk. It originated in China where it remained until the Italians brought it to Europe. The fabric, once reserved only for nobility, was highly prized because of its unusual sheen and its softness against the body. Much of today's satin is made from fibers other than silk, but they remain difficult to clean.

Considerations

Place an absorbent fabric underneath the satin fabric to be cleaned. It will help absorb the stain once it breaks up.

Blot in cold water with a clean sponge. Many fresh stains respond to this simple step, allowing one to avoid using heavier stainremover on the delicate fabric.

Apply club soda if water alone does not do the job. Blot it into the stain with a clean sponge. Give it one to three minutes to work before blotting the soda water away with plain, room temperature distilled water.

Mix two teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda with one cup of distilled water. Using a sponge, blot the mixture into the stain working from its center outward. If necessary, use a very soft toothbrush to work the stain out of the fabric. Then apply plain distilled water to remove excess cleaner.Drying

Air drying is the best option for satin fabrics. Satin should never be wrung out to remove excess water. Get the excess water out by laying the item flat on a dry towel and rolling the towel up with the satin item inside. Apply gentle pressure to the towel to force out the excess water. Unroll the towel and remove the item. Lay the satin item on a dry towel and let it air dry.

Dry Cleaning Satin using "Dryel" available in your local store.

Use the Dryel spot remover to treat satin that can be exposed to medium heat. This will give the extra boost that some stains need in order to break away from satin fabric.

Put the satin into the Dryel bag provided. Add a Dryel cloth as well. Close and secure the bag.

Place the bag in the dryer. Set to medium cycle and turn on for one-half hour.

Remove the satin from the bag and fold or hang it as desired. This will help avoid excess wrinkling.

Ironing

It takes special care to iron satin. Use a warm iron and absolutely no steam. Always press satin on the wrong side of the fabric and keep a pressing cloth between the iron and the fabric. A thin piece of white cotton such as a handkerchief works well as a pressing cloth. Applying a hot iron directly to satin fabric can leave behind an impression of the iron's plate and can damage the fabric.

STAIN REMOVAL

If satin becomes stained it can be very difficult to get the stain out. Avoid bleach when attempting to remove stains from satin. Try to treat the stain as quickly as possible before it sets. Use a stain remover that is safe for satin fabric such as White Wizard spot remover to pretreat the stain before hand washing.

Tips & Warnings

Set-in stains are more difficult to remove so clean as quickly as possible. While some people choose to wash delicate satin fabrics in the delicate cycle of a washing machine, the fabric will retain its beauty longer and sustain less damaged if it is washed by hand.

Do not use too much detergent when washing satin or it will be difficult to rinse clean. Do not use hot water to clean satin. It will cause the fabric to shrink. Do not dry satin fabric of any type in a hot dryer. It may scorch or shrink the fabric. Do not use bleach on satin fabrics of any kind. Avoid sun exposure with delicate satins like those made from silk or nylon. The sun's rays will break down the fabric and could cause permanent damage.